Fact check: Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated, 'If Russia wants Ukraine to burn, Moscow Will burn too.'

Verdict: mixed — Trust Score 59/100

The statement attributed to Volodymyr Zelenskyy is confirmed by 12 sources including the Associated Press, The Guardian, and ITV News. While the quote is authentic and was made on June 18, 2026, in response to ongoing hostilities and a major drone attack on Moscow, the image accompanying the post is a recycled photo from a December 2021 visit to the Donbas region.

mixed verification card — Trust Score 59/100
Platform
threads
Source author
millesini — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://www.threads.com/@millesini/post/DZuhChOCJKS?xmt=AQG0R6wUCFav21ULv7yI31iVjcyztWGMBFqT7uDntyVzbrvGXy9t9n60iyLuGLbbeEVEpoqk&slof=1
Verified on
June 19, 2026
Verification ID
zzDkgKZgwYn-XlbUiwo5Sw

Original content reviewed

Platform: THREADS Author: @millesini --- Caption/Description --- Zelenskyy: “If Russia wants Ukraine to burn, Moscow Will burn too.” PERIOD!💙💛 Slava Ukraini! ---VERIFICATION_SUMMARY--- Platform: THREADS Author: @millesini --- Caption/Description --- Zelenskyy: “If Russia wants Ukraine to burn, Moscow Will burn too.” PERIOD!💙💛 Slava Ukraini! --- Claims to Verify --- 1. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated, 'If Russia wants Ukraine to burn, Moscow Will burn too.' 2. The statement was made by the President of Ukraine in the context of the ongoing war with Russia. --- Verification Focus --- Zelenskyy 'If Russia wants Ukraine to burn Moscow Will burn too' 2024 Volodymyr Zelenskyy Moscow burn quote AP Reuters Zelenskyy quote Moscow burn fact check Snopes PolitiFact Zelenskyy Independence Day speech August 24 2024 transcript Zelenskyy video message warning Moscow burn

Claims analyzed (3)

  1. mostly true: Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated, 'If Russia wants Ukraine to burn, Moscow Will burn too.'
    President Zelenskyy made this statement on June 18, 2026, in a message to journalists and a video address. He warned that Russia would face retaliatory strikes on its capital if it continued to attack Ukrainian territory, specifically citing a recent strike on a Kyiv monastery. Major outlets reported the exact or near-exact wording: 'If Ukraine is going to burn, your Moscow will burn too.'
  2. mostly true: The statement was made by the President of Ukraine in the context of the ongoing war with Russia.
    The statement was part of a formal wartime communication from the Ukrainian presidency following a massive drone operation that targeted the Kapotnya oil refinery in Moscow on June 18, 2026.
  3. false: The accompanying image shows Zelenskyy at the time of this statement.
    The image used in the post is a Getty Images photo taken on December 6, 2021, showing Zelenskyy visiting frontline positions in the Donbas region, months before the full-scale invasion began. It does not depict him in June 2026.

Sources consulted (16)

Related verifications

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